Rosie Millard OBE is Chair of BBC Children in Need, the BBC’s charity which every year helps bring happiness and transform outcomes for children across the UK. Rosie is also the Chair of Firstsite’s Board of Trustees. Firstsite embraces the transformative power of art to empower more people from all backgrounds to be creative together and lead healthier and happier lives. Firstsite forms part of The Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio.

From 2014-2018 Rosie Millard was the Chair of Hull City of Culture 2017, a £32.5 million programme which opened in January 2017. Darren Henley, CEO of the Arts Council of England has called Hull’s year an “unmitigated, rip-roaring, awe-inspiring, life-enhancing success.” Being City of Culture has had a transformative effect on the Yorkshire city, achieving 90% engagement amongst its citizens, involving every single one of its 55,000 children and bringing in millions of tourists. Rosie was called upon to speak at a vast array of public events on a national level, championing Hull and its unique cultural offer in the national media including all the broadsheets, the Today programme, BBC News, Sky News, and ITV.

She is a Trustee of Opera North, which brings opera to communities and audiences largely (but not exclusively) across the North of England.

“Hull’s year as UK city of culture has been described as a “rip-roaring, awe-inspiring success” by Arts Council England, and organisers and civic leaders have promised to build on its legacy in 2018. The port city in east Yorkshire was the UK’s second city of culture, after Derry became the first in 2013. Hull’s tenure has been widely praised and is estimated to have provided an economic boost worth more than the bid’s forecast of £60m.”

“One of the most memorable days I’ve spent so far in my time as chief executive of Arts Council England happened in Hull back in July. Wearing my blue, purple and pink uniform, I became a Hull UK City of Culture 2017 volunteer for the day, joining hundreds of people from Hull who have given up their time over the past twelve months in the name of art and culture.”

As the UK’s City of Culture 2017, all eyes have been on @2017Hull. 9 in 10 residents have attended an event, cultural activity or exhibition as part of it. The council’s £100m cultural capital programme has already seen a £25m regeneration of the city centre. #CulturedNorthpic.twitter.com/PjfDcOZP4p

My second novel The Brazilian is out on June 13th – contrary to sales teams across the country who apparently were seeking for an Over 18 banner for it, this is NOT erotic fiction, but a ‘saucy’ tale (according to Tom Chalmers, the boss of my lovely publisher Legend) which is going on the tables at WH Smith, not Ann Summers – and hopefully one which will make you laugh this summer. A seasonal romp involving reality TV, Lego crazy kids and a football star it takes the stars of The Square and puts them on the island of Ibiza for a summer holiday. Enjoy!

This is my new novel. The question is, is this cover simply too RUDE? My lovely agent and publishers fall about when they look at it and reassure me that people will just love to pick it up in a bookshop, and WH Smith is putting it ON ITS SUMMER DISPLAY this year so…maybe not. Very much hope my parents don’t see it. Of course I’ll be inviting them to the launch so that’s going to be tricky…anyway you could always buy it on Kindle, I guess. Anyway its very FUNNY so I hope anyone who does put it in their summer suitcase this year for the beach, enjoys it.

Hull now incredibly up itself

04-01-17

Hilarious from the Daily Mash. Pitch Perfect. Thanks to C of C Trustee Sameera Anwar West for spotting!

BECOMING the UK’s City of Culture has caused everyone in Hull to become a snooty intellectual, it has emerged. Residents of the northern city are immersing themselves in highbrow literature, classical music and theatre while feeling smug and superior about it.

Teenager Wayne Hayes said: “I used to drive around playing happy hardcore in my modified Nissan Micra, but I’ve started putting on Mahler symphonies and tutting at people in tracksuits. “Tonight I’m hanging round the park with my mates but instead of drinking cider until we puke, we’re putting on a challenging interpretation of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Builder Roy Hobbs said: “I was in Wetherspoons for the poetry recital and it was so packed I missed half The Wasteland while I was ordering a bottle of Merlot. The Arts Council really should do something.

“Hopefully it’ll be quieter at the weekend when me and the lads try the Heston Blumenthal tasting menu before going on to the multiplex for the Truffaut retrospective.”

Mum-of-two Donna Sheridan said: “I can’t get the kids off their easels ever since they discovered impressionist painting, so the Playstation 4 was a total waste of money.

“I’ve made a rule that they can have two hours of discussing the plays of David Mamet every night then it’s off to bed.”

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Rosie Millard OBE is Chair of BBC Children in Need, the BBC’s charity which every year helps bring happiness and transform outcomes for children across the UK. Rosie is also the Chair of Firstsite’s Board of Trustees. Firstsite embraces the transformative power of art to empower more people from all backgrounds to be creative together […]

“Hull’s year as UK city of culture has been described as a “rip-roaring, awe-inspiring success” by Arts Council England, and organisers and civic leaders have promised to build on its legacy in 2018. The port city in east Yorkshire was the UK’s second city of culture, after Derry became the first in 2013. Hull’s tenure has […]